Iran School Missile Strike Kills 165, UNESCO Condemns 'Grave Violation'
At least 165 people, including young schoolgirls, were killed in a devastating missile strike on a primary school in southern Iran, according to authorities. The attack, which occurred on Saturday, has been condemned by UNESCO as a "grave violation of humanitarian law" as tensions escalate across the Middle East.
Details of the Attack
State media reported that the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls' elementary school in Minab, located in Iran's southern Hormozgan province, was destroyed during what was described as a joint US-Israeli bombing campaign. Neither the United States nor Israel has claimed responsibility or confirmed that an attack took place, though Iran has directly blamed both nations for the strike.
The missile strike happened around 10am IRST (6am GMT) on Saturday. The school was situated just 200 feet away from a nearby naval base belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Footage circulating on social media showed the building completely destroyed, with remnants of school books visible among the rubble.
Initial reports claimed five fatalities, but the death toll quickly rose to 85, then 108 students by Saturday evening. By Sunday evening, local prosecutors confirmed the number had increased to 165 killed, with a further 95 injured. Iranian human rights organisation Hengaw noted that the school's total enrolment was 170 students, suggesting catastrophic casualties.
Iran operates on a six-day working week from Saturday to Thursday, with Friday being the only official day of rest. This meant the school would have been fully occupied when it was struck, explaining the high number of casualties among young pupils.
Iran's Response and Regional Escalation
President Masoud Pezeshkhian issued a statement condemning the airstrikes, expressing condolences to families impacted by the attack. "I share the heavy sorrow of the victims' families, the noble people of Minab, and all of Iran, and I stand with them in this grief," he said according to Iranian news agency Tasnim.
He continued: "This savage act adds another black page to the record of countless crimes by the aggressors, a memory that will never be erased from our nation's history." The president called on rescue, medical, and relevant authorities to offer immediate and continuous assistance to the injured and families of the fallen.
Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi stated: "The destroyed building is a primary school for girls in the south of Iran. It was bombed in broad daylight, when packed with young pupils. Dozens of innocent children have been murdered at this site alone. These crimes against the Iranian People will not go unanswered."
The attack comes amid escalating regional conflict. Iranian missiles hit targets in Dubai, Kuwait and Bahrain over the weekend, while Israel launched fresh attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon. According to state media citing the Iranian Red Crescent, at least 555 people have been killed in Iran since the beginning of US-Israeli strikes over the weekend.
International Condemnation
Humanitarian organisations and world figures have strongly condemned the strikes, suggesting they violate international law. Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, who has campaigned for the right of young girls to education, condemned the attack on social media.
"They were girls who went to school to learn, with hopes and dreams for their future. Today, their lives were brutally cut short," she wrote. "I am heartbroken and appalled by the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, including reports that a girls' school in southern Iran was hit, resulting in the injury and death of many girls. The killing of civilians, especially children, is unconscionable, and I condemn it unequivocally."
UNESCO expressed deep alarm "by the impact of the ongoing military escalation in the Middle East on educational institutions, students, and education personnel." The organisation stated: "The killing of pupils in a place dedicated to learning constitutes a grave violation of the protection afforded to schools under international humanitarian law. Attacks against educational institutions endanger students and teachers and undermine the right to education."
In a statement reported in US media, US Central Command spokesman Tim Hawkins said: "We take these reports seriously. The protection of civilians is of utmost importance, and we will continue to take all precautions available to minimise the risk of unintended harm." Israel has not commented on the specific attacks.
The international community continues to monitor the situation as violence spreads across the region, with particular concern for civilian casualties and attacks on educational institutions that should be protected under international law.
